What Is the Acute Antral Lesion Size After Pulmonary Vein Isolation Using Different Balloon Ablation Technologies?

Clinical outcome after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) may be linked to both durability of PVI and the antral lesion size. Data on balloon-guided technologies are scarce. We investigated the size of the isolated surface area (ISA) acutely after PVI achieved by cryoballoon (CB) or laser balloon (LB), both using voltage mapping.

In 40 patients (73% male, mean age 66±9 years), a bipolar voltage map before and after PVI in sinus rhythm was acquired to delineate the isolated antral surface area (IASA, contiguous area of low voltage <0.5 mV) and the ISA (relative size of the low-voltage area in relation to the whole antral surface area including the posterior wall). IASA (CB: 57±14 cm²vs. LB: 42±15 cm²; P=0.002) as well as ISA (65±8% vs. 54±10%; P=0.001) were significantly larger in the CB than in the LB group. No periprocedural complications occurred. During a mean follow-up of 326±142 days, 4/20 and 5/20 patients experienced an AF/AT recurrence in the CB and LB groups, respectively. No differences in clinical outcome were observed between patients with a large (≥55%) or small (<55%) ISA.

Balloon-guided PVI is associated with antral lesion formation. CB-guided PVI is associated with the largest ISA as compared with LB procedures. ISA size did not correlate with clinical outcome after a single procedure in the present study population.